Lysol Duty

Stomach flu has infiltrated my domestic bliss. 

Please tell me... why does stomach flu always strike my children
in the wee hours of the morning?

I feel like a ticking time bomb.

Can we please talk about something else? 

 Let's think happy thoughts.  

The kids had a break from school last week, so we made plans for some fun.

We were in dire need of some fun. Dire!

So here's what we did.

We packed our bags and ran away to the city.

You wouldn't believe how much luggage was in our trunk for one night away.

Ridiculous. 

You also wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a hotel that will allow six people in one room.

"Hello, we would like a room for six, a pool (of course), and complimentary breakfast, please.
 And it has to be cheap.  But not gross. Thankyouverymuch." 

Mission accomplished.

In fact, we managed to find something for everyone.

The big mall for the big kids.

The slightly disappointing little pool for the little kids.

And the children's museum was a hit for everyone.

Now this adventure weekend was all about the kids,

 but my man made a spontaneous game-changing move.
All I said was "There's that antique place I've been wanting to see!"
and BAM we were there.
Yes, he is that awesome.

The little peeps in the back seat were less than thrilled.

I believe my response was something like this...

"Isn't this a nice surprise for Mommy?  You get to do something you enjoy and now I do too!"

They were not impressed.

Welcome to Lost and Found Antiques.

Do you see anything you like?

Josie had her eye on that little red number.

(for Joy?)

Pretty amazing, huh?

I'd really like to find a big V someday.

 (red S for Shannan?)

Thought long and hard about these crates.

Can never have too many globes.

Can you have too many blog pictures?

Sorry about that.

I just can't help myself.

Remember, I'm trying to escape from my less than pleasant Lysol reality.

I kinda' sorta' need these too.  Maybe next time...

 (for Rebecca?)

Are you drooling yet?

Trays anyone?

I do like fun glasses.

"Hello, is this U-haul?  I'm going to need your largest trailer."

As we walked back to the car Hanna says,
"I think I'm starting to understand why you go to those places.
That was really cool!"  

Of course that may have something to do with the early birthday present she scored.

I scored a present too. I love me a man with an orange 70's desk lamp.

This beauty had to come home with us too. It was love at first sight.

So what would come home with YOU???

Tell me. I'd love to know.


And what did Awesome Dad get?

The city's best burgers.  

Good times, good times.

~Sigh~

Now back to the barf.

Hey Hanna!Thanks for some pics!

The Best Medicine.

It's our tradition to take the birthday person out to the restaurant of their choosing.

I choose a favorite local spot where we could all enjoy the end of summer evening air.

Things got off to a slow start. 

Dad knows how to get the party started.

 

 What's the message???

"LORDY! LORDY! MOM TURNED FORTY!!!"

Very funny, Mister.

Laughter really is the best medicine.

quit your whining

I have a recent date night confession.

It had been an stressful week, and we hadn't had much time alone.

On the way to the restaurant we had 30 minutes in the car together.

I vented all the way there.

Poor guy.

He had no where to run; nowhere to hide.

I had a captive audience for all my misery.

Sad thing happened as I vented and he drove...

we ran over a little bird.

What's up with that?

Birds are smarter than that.

They always escape the path of an oncoming car.

I don't know about you, but I don't usually worry about hitting birds.

Weird.

But it didn't phase me.  I kept right on dumping.

Dinner was lovely.

I was on my best behavior the whole time,

I promise.

But back in the van...

I stooped to new lows and threw myself a pity party all the way home.

I know. It's shameful.

And you know what's worse...

I brought my husband into my muck

 and soon he was right there with me, slinging the mud around.

We were a pitiful, pitiful sight.

Then,

 right after I said something along the lines of,

"If only my parents ..."

SPLAT!

ANOTHER BIRD

from out of nowhere.

Coincidence?

I don't know.

But the immediate message was this:

"Quit your whining...

YOU'VE GOT ME."

~ ~ ~

I'm not suggesting that God throws birds at me,

but I didn't say much after that.

I'd hate for another innocent bird to lose his life on account of

 my ungrateful heart.

Fancy - Shmansy!

Since I've started blogging,

I try to take more pictures of the ordinary days of my life.

This is a good thing. 

My camera, on the other hand,  is not such a good thing.

But it gets the job done and it gives me the perfect excuse for my not so fancy photography skills.

Besides, I like the challenge of taking a pretty picture with an old beat up camera.

Pretty cool, huh? (Except that my dog thinks he is a cat.)

She takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin', this camera of mine--

unlike the one I sent through the washer AND dryer.

Sorry Hanna.

Hanna brings her fancy-shmansy camera everywhere.

And I love that.

The last few years she's been the sole family photographer.

But not anymore, because as Hanna explains with a hint of sarcasm,

"Mom is learning to take her own pictures now."

So here are some of my own pictures of

my beautifully ordinary yet extraordinarily busy days of May!

 We made a few trips out for pics of the wildflowers...

Yellow Trout Lily.  Not too bad, right?

 But put my camera in the hands of a 6 year old and you might get a little fuzz,

and my favorite Mother's Day picture turned out a little over exposed.

 Oh well.  I still love it.

Loved the day...loved the shop..love those kids!

 And of course, when you really want the camera to shine,

it doesn't.

So you keep trying...

 and trying...

and trying...

and trying...

and trying!

(Aren't they too cute?  Where's the paparazzi?)

Is there such a thing as an outdoor camera?
She always performs better outdoors.

Or maybe it was the better photographer.

 (Thanks Carol!)

Ye olde camera had a really great time outdoors on Memorial Day.

 At the parade...

 At the park...

At the ceremony...

Wow! Even a miserably hot, thirsty, and bored 6 year old can look good!

And then this.
I never took a picture of this before.

Planting flowers here was a special part of my Memorial Day.

Strawberry Pie is also a special part of our Memorial Day,
thanks to two of our favorite people on the planet!
 But again, the inside shots are just not right.

 Every now and then,
my camera gets hijacked
and I  just never know what I might find.

For example...

Amazing feats!

Or growling girls!

Or secret basketball scouting!

 Or tell tale self portraits!

And always the random dog pictures. 

I love my camera. 

She was a Black Friday special.  

We bought her that year to take with us here:

Yeah, that's a poster. But we really were there.

Don't I look thrilled? Sorry, but I'm definitely not a fan of the place.

But I am a fan a spending time anywhere with this guy!

Do you think you can stand just one more random camera memory with me?

Okay, great!

Once upon a time,
we thought she was a goner so my peeps bought me a new camera.

But she came back to life, that camera of mine.
And the new one went back to the store. 
Would you like to see my camera? 


Wowza!  
Talk about fancy-shmansy!

                              
                         HA! HA! HA! Just kiddin. She's not that old!